With Rosberg – who ended the year with six straight pole positions – owing the turn of form to his development as a driver, Hamilton offered a different justification, claiming a change to the car’s set-up since the Singapore Grand Prix has worked against him. It was Rosberg’s first ever hat-trick of wins, the 30-year-old German adding to success in Mexico and Brazil for his sixth victory of the season. “That’s what I race for, such battles, and I look forwards to more next year”.
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Abu Dhabi Grand Prix victor Nico Rosberg believes he has “come back a lot stronger” following his disappointment in Austin.
“Then, if he could have made that tyre last, he could have gone for the option [super-soft] and that would have been a real call to win the race, but the tyre didn’t last so it went into being the third-best option”. I am so happy that I found some performance at the end of the season.
“We’re aware of the threat next season from the red guys so will work hard in the winter to stay on top”.
Ferarri driver Kimi Raikkonen rounded out the podium.
It drew down the curtain on a disastrous season for an under performing McLaren team boasting two former world champions.
Rosberg admitted he was ecstatic to maintain the upper hand over the man who had beaten him to the title in Texas, where a momentary lapse had cost him victory.
Gutsy Hamilton was prepared to gamble the place in history and the flawless finish, but Mercedes were not. We didn’t have an ideal start to the season. However, the passion for driving in both of them has given team Mercedes a 275 point lead on Ferrari in the Constructor standings of 2015.
Paul Hembery, motorsport director for Pirelli tyres, commented: “As usual, Abu Dhabi delivered another very tactical race, during which Mercedes and Nico Rosberg in particular controlled the strategy perfectly”.
Over the course of the second stint, Hamilton steadily reduced to the deficit, before his team-mate pitted on lap 31. And y’know, the speed has been there but mistakes and problems and stuff like that. He is quick. We have seen him have so many pole positions and he is smoother (than Hamilton).
Maldonado retired on the opening lap through no fault of his own, shunted off by Alonso’s McLaren.
Coming to the two McLarens, Jenson Button had a decent race but his team mate, Fernando Alonso had a rough one.
Daniel Ricciardo was sixth for Red Bull ahead of Nico Hulkenberg in the second Force India, Felipe Massa of Williams, Romain Grosjean who marked his last race for Lotus with a surge to ninth and Daniil Kvyat in the second Red Bull.
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Speaking after qualifying on Saturday, Hamilton said: “I was just sitting with my engineer and I said “we really need to sit down and try to figure out how we are going to rectify this”.
